Food Fun Family

Why I Rebranded My Blog #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 03:02:48 +0000

This week has flown by way too fast! Now that it’s been nearly a week since I rebranded my blog, I’m starting to feel at home here. I am so happy that I made the change! Today I took the final step and changed my twitter handle over to @foodfunfamily. I’ll miss @1momof5, but I love having the same handle across all of my accounts. Now if only I can get Facebook to make an exception with my fan page url… (I’m not holding my breath!)

I figured that I would take a minute to mention why I decided to rebrand, and explain a little bit of the process that I went through. When I started blogging back in 2008, I didn’t realize that blogs had “names” or that people I didn’t know would visit me. When I realized that I wanted to turn my friends-and-family blog into something bigger, I knew that I wanted to get off blogspot and buy my own domain, but I wasn’t sure at that point “who” I was as a blogger. I chose “Better in Bulk” because, back in 2009, I was neck deep in lots of little kids. Everything I did was “in bulk” (yes, that’s including my kids!).

But I found that as I branched out and started meeting other bloggers and brands that “Better in Bulk” didn’t tell people who I was or what I blogged about. Most people assumed that I was involved in couponing or shopping (I’ve heard references to Costco so many times!). Even though I DO, in fact, shop in bulk, that’s never been what I’ve blogged about.

When I was at Type A Conference at the beginning of October, I had two conversations about rebranding. The first convinced me that I needed to bite the bullet and rebrand. And it left me absolutely terrified. The second conversation, just 24 hours later, also convinced me that it was time to rebrand. But that conversation left me excited and motivated and ready.

I came home from the conference with a vague idea of the direction I wanted to go, but I could not for the life of me find a name that made sense AND was available (along with all of the social handles). One thing that was important to me was making all of my online presences “match” – it was hard to be 1momof5 on social and Better in Bulk on the blog. They didn’t fit together. I bought another url that I liked but was hung up on one word. It wasn’t totally “me.” I sat on it for about a week and a half, unable to move forward with it.

And then, last week, I came up with Food Fun Family, which (at least in my mind) describes to a T what I blog about: FOOD (recipes and round ups), FUN (entertainment, outings, travel, books) and FAMILY (parenting, family-friendly products, home tips, crafts & DIY, etc). I was thrilled to find a name that was fun but descriptive of what I wanted people to remember about me.

I slept on the name, still liked it in the morning, bought the url, and within days I had designed a banner/logo (on my own) and contacted someone to do the transfer for me (not on my own. Eek!). Once I found that name, everything fell into place pretty quickly.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time organizing things behind the scenes, and there’s still plenty to do but I’m glad I decided to go for it early versus waiting until everything was perfect before starting the change.

Have you ever rebranded your blog? Have you considered doing it?

Here are a few of the pictures that I’ve taken this past week. Honestly, now that the vibrant fall leaves have mostly all fallen, it’s a lot harder to find good subjects to photograph.

PS – did you notice that gorgeous wrap bracelet up there? You can see my recent Instagram post about it here, or you can check out Rocksbox and give it a try for FREE for a month with my code: 1momof5xoxo. Note: I am a Rockbox Insider and am trying out a membership for free in exchange for sharing pictures and thoughts on social media. I am loving it!

What have you been photographing lately? Feel free to link up your picture posts below!

An InLinkz Link-up

This Week on Instagram… #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 02:37:23 +0000

We’re in between fall and winter sports and so, for the moment, things are just a little bit less hectic around here. Except that “less hectic” is practically a joke because I still have 4 kids at home…

This week, it was harder for me to get out for my morning walks as regularly as I’ve been doing, partly because of two half days (which completely throw off the morning AND afternoon schedules) and partly because of morning rain and partly because my plantar fasciitis came back with a vengeance. I have had my foot pain under control for years, and all of the sudden it is back in full force. I’m not very happy about it!

Here are a few of the pictures I posted to Instagram this week. Are you following me yet? Please stop by and say hi!

This week on Instagram…

What have you been up to this week, and what pictures have you captured? Feel free to link up your posts below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Enjoying the Fall #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 01:57:09 +0000

I’m not ready to say goodbye to the fall, but the sad truth is that October is about to end, and November is typically when the final leaves fall off the trees and snow (or at least the threatenings of snow) creep into the forecast. Once Halloween hits, Thanksgiving is pretty much the next week (right?)…and the rest of the year just zooms by.

I really just want to hold on to this for a little bit longer….

(These are a few of the images I’ve posted to Instagram this week. I’ve become a little obsessed with taking *better* Instagram photos since getting my iPhone 6S earlier this month, and I’m loving the challenge. Hey, anything to inspire me to take more pictures, right?

What have you been taking pictures of lately?

PS – see that gorgeous ring up there?? I’m loving my first Rocksbox delivery!! (note: affiliate code coming…) If you haven’t used them before, Rocksbox is a monthly subscription service where you can rent designer jewelry. Wear the jewelry as much as you want and then send it back for another set when you’re done…OR buy what you #LOVE at a discounted price. Each Rocksbox is personalized for you by your stylist based on your tastes. Mine were PERFECT for me. You can try out Rocksbox at www.rocksbox.com/invited_by/laurabff667 FREE for a month with my code: 1momof5xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

This Week on Instagram: #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:00:07 +0000

This week has not been one of my favorites.

It’s cold. COLD.

We lost power and ran out of milk and fuel for our kerosene heater. (PS – that’s an Amazon affiliate link to the heater we’ve got because I’ve discovered that tons of people don’t know what I’m talking about when I refer to my kerosene heater. For the record…we’ve had it for 13 years and use it all winter long. We love it!).

I’ve been feeling pretty crummy and have had one of the least productive work weeks ever.

But you’d never know that based on my Instagram.

Isn’t it funny how that works?

As yucky as I’ve felt and as unproductive as I felt like I’ve been, the truth is, I’ve gotten some things done, like the muffins I posted about this morning, or the mint sugar scrub I’m posting about tomorrow morning….or the car I’ve been reviewing…or the movie that I took my family to see so that I could review it here tomorrow….or all of the dinners and the shopping and the driving and the exercising I’ve gotten done. Or the new phone I am testing and have been setting up.

OK, so maybe I’m being too hard on myself.

Or maybe I’m just overwhelmed.

Or maybe it’s the weather.

By the way, the phone (a Nokia Lumia 830 Windows Phone) is SO cool so far. I love being able to customize it so much, and the camera is awesome!

What have you been up to this week? I hope it’s warmer and brighter where you are. Around here, we’re eager for Spring!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Shot – Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<center><a href="https://foodfunfamily.com/tag/give-me-your-best-shot" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com" target="_blank"></a><br />Hosted by <a href="https://mychaosmybliss.com/" target="_blank">Cecily</a> and <a href="https://www.foodfunfamily.com" target="_blank">Lolli</a></p> <p/></center>

An InLinkz Link-up

This Week on Instagram – Give Me Your Best Shot #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 01:41:53 +0000

Another week, another big collection of Instagram photos. I’ve actually been having fun setting multiple photography challenges for myself each day. Like I’ve said before, Instagram may not be quite the same as taking pictures with my camera, but I’ll take what I can get nowadays.

I’m noticing that as I challenge myself to take more pictures for Instagram challenges I’m doing more away from my computer, noticing more beauty around me, and stopping to appreciate it more. I kind of like that. My life is a little on the chaotic side most of the time. It’s good for me to have something to take my mind off the to-do list. Except, of course, that technically the Instagram challenges are just another to-do list.

I’ll still take it.

Here’s a little peek at my week. Highlights include the Washington Auto Show, snow and ice, jury duty, and the best homemade bread ever.

Remember, if you’re not already following me on Instagram…or if you already are (hooray!), I hope to see you there this week! You can check my Instagram photos to see what each of the daily prompts were. A lot of the pictures make more sense with the prompt!

What did you do last week?

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

An InLinkz Link-up

This Week on Instagram – Give Me Your Best Shot #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 01:19:59 +0000

You’ll have to forgive me for being short this week. I just walked in the door from the Washington Auto Show, and I honestly feel like I’ve never been more tired. I’m sure I HAVE actually been more tired, and I don’t really have a good reason to be THIS fatigued. But regardless….I am 100% pooped.

This past week, I decided to try to kick my Instagram photo challenges up a notch. I actually joined in on yet another challenge (#fmsphotoaday) that I am loving. I needed this challenge to find beauty in my day-to-day comings and goings. I am loving this.

Obviously, some pictures are better than others. Some themes are better than others. But the fact that I am taking pictures very regularly right now and only *some* of them are of food makes me happy.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

An InLinkz Link-up

Instagram It! Give Me Your Best Shot #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 01:46:33 +0000

I’ve practically given up on myself taking any photos of note anymore (unless I’m traveling, of course). I scroll through the photos I’ve taken each week and see a whole lot of food and not much else.

My phone, of course, is a different story. A few weeks ago, I decided to do step up my Instagram game. It’s not quite the same as my old hobby/business taking lots and lots of pictures with my big girl camera, but it’s a step in the right direction. I may just be 15 days into the new year, but I am loving my focus on participating in a few daily photo challenges.

Here is a peek at what I was up to last week:

As much as I miss capturing beautiful images on my Canon, I do love the fact that I’m capturing my day-to-day life, raw and natural, as it happens…thanks to my phone.

If you’re not following me on Instagram, I’d love it if you connected with me there!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

An InLinkz Link-up